Tag: Self

Habit of Self-justification

It is an old-standing habit. Self-assertion, self-sufficiency, obstinacy, dissimulation, speaking falsehood are the constant retinues or attendants of self-justification. He who has developed this can never improve himself, as he will never admit his faults. He will always try his level best to justify himself in various ways. He will not hesitate to tell several lies to support his false statements. He will tell one lie to cover another lie and he will speak lies ad infinitum. The aspirant should always admit his faults, mistakes, weaknesses etc., then and there. Then only he can improve quickly.

Anger

It is a gate to hell. It destroys the knowledge of Self. It is born of Rajas. It is all-consuming and all-polluting. It is the greatest enemy of peace. It is a modification of lust. Just as milk is changed into curd, so also lust or desire becomes transmuted into anger. When a man’s desire is not gratified, he becomes angry. Then his mind becomes confused. He loses his memory and understanding. He is under intoxication. He loses his senses for the time being. He does not know what he is exactly doing. He is a prey to anger. He is under the sway of anger. Anger is a form of Sakti or Devi. In Chandipatha you will find, “Yaa Devee Sarvabhuteshu Krodharupena Samsthita; Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah.” “I bow to that Devi who is seated in all beings in the form of anger.”

Resentment, indignation, fury, wrath and irritation are all varieties of anger according to degree or intensity. If a man wants to correct another man and uses slight anger unselfishly as a force to check and improve him, then it is called “religious anger.” Suppose a man molests a girl and tries to outrage her, and a by-stander becomes angry towards this criminal, then it is called ‘righteous indignation.’This is not bad. Only when the anger is the outcome of greed or selfish motives, it is bad.

If a man becomes irritable for trifling things very often, it is definite sign of mental weakness. One should control irritability by developing patience, Vichara, Kshama, love, mercy and spirit of service. When anger is controlled, it becomes transmuted into an energy that can move the world. It becomes changed into Ojas, just as heat or light is changed into electricity. Energy takes another form. If an aspirant has controlled anger completely, half of his Sadhana is over. Control of anger means control of lust also. All vices, evil qualities and wrong actions take their origin in anger. If anger is controlled, all bad qualities die by themselves. He who has controlled anger cannot do any wrong or evil actions. He is always just. An easily irritable man is always unjust. He is swayed by impulses and emotions. Too much loss of semen is the chief cause for irritability and anger. The root-cause for anger lies in egoism. Through Vichara egoism should be removed. Then only one can control anger completely to the very root. Through development of the opposite virtues such as Kshama, love, Santi, Karuna and friendship it can be controlled to some extent. The force can be reduced. Jnana only completely fries all Samskaras. But practice of Mauna is of great help in controlling anger.

When the anger assumes a grave form, it becomes difficult to control. It should be controlled when it assumes the form of a small ripple in the subconscious mind. One should watch the mind carefully, whenever there is a sign of irritability. Then it becomes very easy.

Anger gains strength by repetition. If it is checked, man gains strength of will gradually. An aspirant should direct all his attention towards the conquest of this powerful enemy. Sattvic food, Japa, meditation, prayer, Satsanga, Vichara, service, Kirtan, Brahmacharya, Pranayama-all will pave a long way in eradicating this dire malady.

When a man abuses you, try to keep quiet. Bear the insult. You will gain strength. Check the impulses and emotions to begin with. Whenever there is likelihood of a burst of anger during conversation or debate, stop your speech. Always try to speak sweet, soft words (Madhura and Mridu). The words must be soft and the arguments hard: but if the words are hard, it will bring discord. If you find it difficult to control anger, leave the place at once and take a brisk walk.

Smoking, meat-eating and drinking of liquors make the heart very irritable. Therefore they should be completely abandoned. Tobacco brings diseases of heart. It gives rise to “tobacco-heart” which gets easily irritated.

In the light of modern psychology all diseases take their origin in anger. Rheumatism, heart-diseases and nervous diseases are due to anger. The whole nervous system is completely shattered by one fit of anger. It takes months before it is restored to normal equilibrium.

From ancient times the man was investigating ways and techniques to transform, change, uplift his perception of himself and the outside. Tantra is an ageless and highly practical discipline that can rocket your consciousness into the skies. All religions in one way or another employed methods of Tantra.

Shamanistic rituals are known to have been applied in all cultures of the world. There are different methods that can transform your awareness and the consequences of their use differ. 20th century folk preferred more quick and passive methods that in most cases brought you up and then threw you down even lower than before to the methods which are active, gradual and spiritual. Passive methods are generally chemical in substance which speeds up the process but causes physical changes and destruction inevitably followed by far more disastrous consequences on the spiritual level. Drugs of different substances can help you in releasing your subconscious blocks and emotions within the time they are in effect. This is the shift of perception and the way how you perceive yourself that brings so desirable relief. Once the effect comes to an end, the awareness returns to normal state to realize consecutive physical and psychological discomfort or pain. On your conscious and subconscious levels an imprint of the aftermath pain will be created. The feeling of lost paradise that you’ve experienced being intoxicated by drugs will firmly fix in the long-term memory and urge you to want it, long for it and once again have it. A breach of Will occurs that will cause destruction to your spiritual self. Without will mind is not able to control drugs, the drugs become masters of your body and mind. Good health will guarantee you will stay longer to withstand gradual physical destruction. However, in most cases psychological destruction happens more quickly with the mind being trapped in between pain and pleasure without support from strong will. There are cases when drugs can help you on the way to spiritual self. The guru will play crucial role in cases of using drugs to open your dark sides and self-liberate them. Then guru will be a guide and your will as well which can’t last long. It is absolutely true that drugs can’t guide you.

The basic trend of modern awareness flows away from wishy-washy way of searching Truth. 21st century society chooses ancient methods of Yoga to unfold consciousness of our True Self without jeopardizing and diluting young and immature souls of the Western World.

Sadhanas (practice) differ according to the stage of evolution, the strength of ego, weaknesses and the nature of the lower Self. A strong and sturdy constitution and a fine health are in themselves a good qualification for the student. All other qualifications can be developed when one is placed in favourable environments. In the spiritual path any type of student can progress and evolve if he is endowed with Sraddha, sincerity and faith. There is no need for special talents or qualification. There is no need also for a deep study for years and Japa on one leg for decades. A willing, loving heart is what is needed. The student must have a new angle of vision and try to crush the ego at each step by discipline, discrimination and dispassion. Charge the mind with Divine Consciousness through constant Japa, prayers and systematic meditation.